Le Mans 1000km GT winner heads to Bathurst 24

The leading Ferrari attack for the Bathurst 24 Hour will hit the mountain
in winning form after the BE Racing combination of Klaus Engelhorn,
Philipp Peter and Andrea Montermini took victory in the GT class at the
Le Mans 1000km at the ...

The leading Ferrari attack for the Bathurst 24 Hour will hit the mountain
in winning form after the BE Racing combination of Klaus Engelhorn,
Philipp Peter and Andrea Montermini took victory in the GT class at the
Le Mans 1000km at the weekend.

The trio will contest the 24 Hour in a Ferrari 360 GT prepared down under
by PHR Scuderia - the same car Engelhorn drove in Nation's Cup
competition recently at the Gold Coast CART weekend.

The BE Racing combination were three of several top international
sportscar drivers who contested both the Le Mans event and will compete
at the Bathurst 24 Hour.

Other drivers include Martin Short who drove a Reynard LMP900 at Le Mans
and will return to Bathurst this year with the Mosler MT900R; Australian
Neil Cunningham (Morgan Aero 8 at both Le Mans and Bathurst); Liz
Halliday (TVR at Le Mans/Porsche 911 GT3 RS at Bathurst) plus Mike Newton
and Tomas Erdos (Lola MG at Le Mans/Porsche 911 GT3 RS at Bathurst)

The French race was run on the shorter Bugatti circuit - the same one
used for the French Motorcycle Grand Prix - but utilises the same pit
facilities as the fabled Le Mans 24 Hour.

Montermini is no stranger to Australia having driven Formula One in
Adelaide and Melbourne as well as competing on the Gold Coast in CART.

"It is a great thing to come back to Australia again and I am really
looking forward to coming to Bathurst because I do some commentary on
Italian television for the V8 Supercar Bathurst event," Montermini said.

"It looks like a fantastic circuit and after speaking to a few people who
have raced there, I really can't wait to make the trip."

Team-mate Philipp Peter kicked off the year in fine style, winning the
Sebring 12-Hour for Audi with Frank Beila and Marco Werner - the opening
round of this year's American Le Mans Series.

"This will be my first trip to Australia so it was not just only the
chance to do the race, but heading down under for the first time made me
very excited to be a part of this program," Peter said.

"Winning will certainly be tough because this is a very competitive field
and we don't know the circuit like the local guys.

"The car looks to be competitive and reliable so it should play out OK."

Bathurst will be the second Australian race for Englehorn who drove in
Nation's Cup at the recent Gold Coast CART event.

"There are many good drivers and many good teams at this event and I
really think it is going to be special and unique," Englehorn said.

"I finished 6th in the second race on the Gold Coast and felt I could
have improved in the last race that was cancelled so I am very confident
the car will be very competitive."

Around 55 cars from Australia, Britain, Germany, Austria and New Zealand
are due to start the race at 2 pm on Saturday 22 November, after a
program of support events for GT Performance and Production touring cars,
V8 BRutes and Porsches.

Erdos, the UK based Brazillian sportscar specialist will be driving the
third different style of car of the year with Newton at Bathurst. The
pairing drove an LMP675 class MG Lola prototype at Le Mans and contested
the FIA GT Championship in a Saleen SR7.

"This is such a very unique circuit that drivers rave about and I can't
wait to get down there," Erdos said.

"The Porsche is a great handling car and should be well suited to the
track, but this year looks like it will be a lot more competitive than
last year's race.

"It is going to great to say you have done Bathurst 24 Hour on your CV."

Short will be hoping to repeat his podium performance in the Mosler at
Bathurst after a gearbox problem seriously delayed his efforts at Le
Mans.

"I think anybody who saw our faces on the podium last year knows how much
we enjoyed it and we said straight away we would be back because it is
such a great event," Short said.

"Like all great tracks it has such a unique nature. It really requires a
different discipline to all the other tracks you go to."

The Channel Seven television network in Australia will devote more than
seven hours' live coverage to the race, mixed with its telecast on
Saturday night of the Rugby World Cup final match, which will be watched
by fans on two giant screens at the top and bottom of Mount Panorama.

Tickets to the Bathurst 24-Hour are on sale from $32 for adults through
Ticketmaster7, on ph. 1300 136 122 or www.ticketmaster7.com.au.